[Reader-list] A letter from mumbaikar

[Prashant Pandey]

Hi

My  cousin who once used to live in Mumbai and now working Delhi
called me up and said," Mumbai has become a shit-hole".
I remember when I had met him in Mumbai he would say " its the best
city in the world..." I also remember a family trip to Siddhi Vinayak
temple where he told me to pray to lord Ganesha...." say ive come here
and will always seek your blessings"
This phone call he sounded repentant and bitter. He has a big
apartment in Mumbai but now he wants to settle in Delhi. "Its always
raining problems  in Mumbai." I dont know if he would have said the
same thing if he was working here and had no option to move out to a
different city.

I have always suspicious of this spirit business. I was once
travelling in the 2nd class compartment of the local train. It was
unimaginably crowded. A man in 40s standing just beside me started
sweating. He wanted to vomit. He started to gasp for air. I emptied my
plastic bag
and gave it him. In seconds he filled it with foul smelling vomit.
Before disembarking I gave him a mint gum so that he feels better.

Would you call it spirit ? No. I think this so called spirit is a
myth, a construct. its rather a euphemism for may be a kind of a
collective guilt, extreme form of self-survival instincts or
selfishness.


On 7/17/06, kaiwan mehta <kaiwanmehta at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi   This is the second time I have received this highly 'spirited' and
> emotional mail.   The other version of this letter conviniently assumes that
> the terrorist essentially sits in Afghanistan, Pakistan or Iraq.   The front
> page of Indian Express, on 14 July, 2006... has a story on how the Courts in
> India doubted that the Blasts at the RSS head quarters and another city in
> Maharashtra were doctored from 'within'.   And about the 'spirit of mumbai'
> the 'spirit' has now reached nauseating levels!! One day all of us will die
> in the assumed/presumed garb of 'spirit' of the city.... and what will be
> left is only 'spirit'..... yes read the Times of India, Times Review page in
> the Sunday 16 July, 2006 edition.   Accept the fact... the city was
> jostled... the city was literally out of steam at least for two days after
> the blast.   Where does our spirit go when tonnes of families and kids are
> thrown homeless brutally when the slums were demolished in Bombay/Mumbai
> itself?   Where does ourr spirit go when people are thrown homeless,
> landless and jobless when they are evacuated for Dam constructions?   Was my
> spirit sleeping when farmers are commiting suicides?   Maybe I never had a
> spirit till the media gave me one, a week ago!!   warm spirits... Kaiwan
>
>   On 7/16/06, Aaditya Dar <aadityadar at gmail.com> wrote:
> > just wanted to share this mail forward i got:
> >
> >
> > We don't know whether you are Hindu / Muslim / Christian / Indian /
> > pakistani/ Afghanistani / Iraqi / American or from any part of the
> > world
> > but
> > only name we can give you is terrorist.
> >
> > Even if you are not reading this we don't care. Time and again you
> > tried to
> > disturb us and disrupt our life - killing innocent civilians by
> > planting
> > bombs in trains, buses and cars. You have tried hard to bring death and
> > destruction, cause panic and fear and create communal disharmony but
> > everytime you were disgustingly unsuccessful. Do you know how we pass
> > our
> > life in Mumbai? How much it takes for us to earn that single rupee? If
> > you
> > wanted to give us a shock then we are sorry to say that you failed
> > miserably in your ulterior motives. Better look elsewere, not here.
> >
> > We are not Hindus and Muslims or Gujaratis and Marathis or Punjabis and
> > Bengaliies. Nor do we distinguish ourselves as owners or workers, govt.
> > employees or private employees. WE ARE MUMBAIKERS (Bombay-ites, if you
> > like). We will not allow you to disrupt our life like this. On the last
> > few
> > occassions when you struck (including the 7 deadly blasts in a single
> > day
> > killing over 250 people and injuring 500+ in 1993), we went to work
> > next
> > day in full strength. This time we cleared everything within a few
> > hours
> > and were back to normal - the vendors placing their next order,
> > businessmen
> > finalizing the next deals and the office workers rushing to catch the
> > next
> > train. (Yes the same train you targetted)
> >
> > Fathom this: Within 3 hours of the blasts, long queues of blood
> > donating
> > volunteers were seen outside various hospital, where most of the
> > injured
> > were admitted. By 12 midnight, the hospital had to issue a notification
> > that blood banks were full and they didn't require any more blood. The
> > next
> > day, attendance at schools and office was close to 100%, trains & buses
> > were packed to the brim, the crowds were back.
> > The city has simply dusted itself off and moved one - perhaps with
> > greater
> > vigour.
> >
> > We are Mumbaikers and we live like brothers in times like this. So, do
> > not
> > dare to threaten us with your crackers. The spirit of Mumbai is very
> > strong
> > and can not be harmed.
> >
> > Please forward this to others. U never know, by chance it may come to
> > hands
> > of a terrorist & He / She can then read this message which is specially
> > meant for him / her !!!
> >
> > With Love,
> > From the people of Mumbai (Bombay)
> > _________________________________________
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>
>
> --
> Kaiwan Mehta
> Architect and Urban Researcher
>
> 11/4, Kassinath Bldg. No. 2, Kassinath St., Tardeo, Mumbai 400034
> 022-2-494 3259 / 91-98205 56436
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